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We have 2 Crown uprights that have both had the pedals disconnected and parts removed. The right pedal is sustain. The left is the soft pedal with a compensator. The middle left pedal moves two metal rods up and down in the area of the tuning pins. I am thinking mute rail, but maybe a mandolin attachment or other. The middle right pedal, when depressed pulls down on a metal rod on the treble side that terminates at the height of the main rail. On the back of the main rail approximately 10 inches from the treble end is a hole at approximately the same height as the rod, but not exactly. Since the parts have been removed, we are unsure what this pedal does or how to hook it up. I would also like to know if the middle left pedal was originally a mute rail or mandolin attachment. Thanks.

I am starting to get the picture of how these things were set up. The middle left pedal is for the mandolin attachment/rinky tink rail. The middle right pedal is for the practice feature. I am thinking that depressing the pedal would pull down on one side of a bar that pivots on the main rail, causing the other end to rise. On the end that rises, would be a rail covered in felt that stops the hammers from hitting the strings. This is only a guess. If you have any info or ideas, please share.

I was wondering about let off. Depending how close let off is, the silent rail would have to be pretty precisely located. Also, would pounding the shanks against a rail, even one covered in hammer rail felt, cause damage? Again, I am still speculating that this is really how this thing works. I've never seen one. Am I on the right track?

Well think about the "silent" pianos, they all have some foam to allow a shank rebound (and checking, plus certainly better sensations)

BTW it would be easy to add a midi sensor rail under the key if you have yet a system to stop the shanks

I never considered them good for touch, and if regulated too short of the stop rail foam,(a 1mm security is necessary) I suspect the hammer centers can be in trouble.

Regulating and voicing a piano with extra large letoff imply some decisions that can be reversed, but it takes more time than one think (for instance to regulate again a piano that originally had a silent system)

Thank you for the original docs, that is always interesting to see how where designed older pianos

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I wish to add some kind and sensitive phrase but nothing comes to mind.!

I was wondering about let off. Depending how close let off is, the silent rail would have to be pretty precisely located. Also, would pounding the shanks against a rail, even one covered in hammer rail felt, cause damage?...

Let-off cannot be set very close in a piano with a silent rail (or a mute rail, for that matter). You are probably looking at 5 mm.

Damage? To the shanks, or the rail, or the felt or??? I don't think so. The amount of playing with it will be limited. Any "effect" pedal is not meant to be in continuous use, otherwise the effect becomes the norm.